Tag: Brian Kelly

Paul Finebaum blasts Brian Kelly, ‘irrelevant’ LSU after loss to Alabama

Paul Finebaum went off on Brian Kelly and LSU after an ’embarrassing’ loss to Alabama.

Not much went right for the LSU Tigers in their 45-13 blowout loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday night.

Jalen Milroe had a lights-out performance in Tiger Stadium, rushing for 185 yards and four touchdowns on 12 carries for Alabama’s latest win in Baton Rouge. All-time, the Crimson Tide have lost nine times at Tiger Stadium since it first opened 100 years ago this season.

On Sunday, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum teed off on the Tigers and third-year coach Brian Kelly. Finebaum labeled LSU’s performance against Alabama as “embarrassing” during an appearance on ESPN’s ‘SportsCenter.’ He also said the Tigers’ “relevancy is over.”

“Dearly beloved, let us say goodbye to LSU for the season. Their relevancy is over. Truly one of the most embarrassing performances I have seen from a major contender in a long time. They had everything. How many times did we hear (that) Brian Kelly hasn’t lost at night in Tiger Stadium? Well, that happened (Saturday). I mean, they were only down 42-6. I’m sure they had a chance to come back and they did — with 11 seconds to go to make the score, well, not really respectable.”

Finebaum said the game was “all about Jalen Milroe.”

“Nobody is burying him,” Finebaum said. “He is alive and kicking, and so is Alabama’s chances of getting to the playoffs.”

RELATED: How far did Alabama climb in new Coaches Poll after throttling LSU on wild Saturday?

Alabama will host the Mercer Bears from the FCS ranks at Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT. The game can be seen on SEC Network+/ESPN+.

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Pat McAfee made LSU’s Brian Kelly blush by singing ‘Neck’ on College GameDay

This what Kelly gets for calling McAfee ‘PG’

Maybe Brian Kelly shouldn’t have challenged Pat McAfee.

While appearing on the Pat McAfee Show ahead of ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast from LSU’s campus on Saturday, McAfee brought up the long-running and currently-banned LSU tradition of singing Neck during big moments.

The lyrics are extremely NSFW, so it makes sense the school wouldn’t want to actively promote it.

Yet when McAfee brought up the chant to Kelly on Friday — but stopped short of singing the full lyrics — the Tigers’ coach joked that “this must be a PG show now”.

Kelly obviously can’t outright condone the chant given the school’s stance, but he had to be honest about the fanbase’s affinity for it. Which came back to bite him Saturday when McAfee couldn’t stop encouraging fans to sing along during College GameDay.

When McAfee invoked a rendition while Kelly was making an appearance on ESPN’s flagship college football show, the coach immediately began blushing, uttering “I’m out” before the students kicked into the NSFW lyrics.

Let that be a lesson to everyone who appears on Pat McAfee’s shows: Do not challenge this man to say things he’s been told by others not to.

What the Allstate Playoff Predictor tells us about LSU’s playoff hopes

What does ESPN’s Allstate Playoff Predictor tell us about LSU’s playoff hopes?

LSU ranked No. 15 in Tuesday’s initial College Football Playoff rankings. As it stands, the Tigers are out of the field, but at No. 15, LSU is in striking distance.

Saturday’s meeting with Alabama can make or break the Tigers’ season. If LSU wins, the playoff is firmly in view. A loss and the Tigers are out of it.

Today, we’ll use the Allstate Playoff Predictor to shed some light on LSU’s hopes. ESPN’s interactive site that allows us to see how certain games impact a team’s playoff chances.

LSU enters Saturday with a 22% chance to make the playoff. Not likely, but not a long shot.

We know if LSU wins out, makes the SEC title, and wins the conference, the Tigers are in with an automatic bid. But let’s say LSU wins out in the regular season and falls short in the SEC title.

In that scenario, LSU has an 85% shot to make the CFP — a 26% chance of hosting in the first round and a 60% shot of being a visitor.

Let’s say LSU loses on Saturday but wins its final three games. At 9-3, the predictor gives LSU a 27% chance of making the field. That seems high given how strong the Big Ten is shaping up to be.

Now, let’s imagine LSU finishes 3-1 but beats Alabama. If LSU beats Alabama and loses to Florida, then takes care of business against Vandy and OU, LSU’s chances sit at 42%.

The numbers are clear. Saturday is close to a must win for LSU. A loss closes most available paths to the playoff but a win gives LSU a few ways in.

Brian Kelly on potential impact of tropical storm on Alabama game

It’s still too early to know the exact impacts Rafael will have on Louisiana, but Brian Kelly said LSU is monitoring the situation.

LSU football head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] met with the media on Monday. Usually, the conversation remains focused on the game at hand, but with a tropical storm in the Gulf, Kelly took a moment to address it.

“The one thing I didn’t have to think about, I thought, was another storm coming,” Kelly said.

“As we get closer to game time, probably (Tuesday), we’ll have to look a little bit closer at the weather situation. It’s definitely on the list now,” Kelly said.

The storm, named Rafael, would reach the United States this weekend.

In a social media post, meteorologist James Spann wrote “It is still too early to know what, if any, impact there will be on the Alabama/LSU game in Baton Rouge Saturday night. For now, we’re just forecasting a chance of showers. That could change in the coming days.”

Right now, The Weather Channel forecast for Baton Rouge on Saturday night states “overcast with rain showers at times. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.”

If that holds, I’d expect LSU and Alabama to play without issue. Rafael is expected to reach hurricane status over the Gulf of Mexico, but weaken as it approaches the U.S. coast.

Brian Kelly and Kalen DeBoer share key coaching trait

Brian Kelly and Kalen DeBoer will square off on Saturday night, but they followed a similar path to get where they are now.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and [autotag]Kalen DeBoer[/autotag] are two of the sport’s highest-paid coaches at two premier programs, but it wasn’t always this way.

Kelly and DeBoer will square off on Saturday night when LSU meets Alabama, but they once took a similar path to get where they are now — both getting their head coaching starts at the D-II level.

That’s not always something you see in modern college football. Kirby Smart began as an administrative assistant at Georgia and worked his way up through the ranks. He wasn’t a head coach until he took over Georgia in 2015.

Dan Lanning’s path was similar, climbing the assistant world before he got the chance to lead Oregon in 2022.

Guys like Ryan Day and Dabo Swinney are in the same boat. The big-time jobs they have now were their first head coaching gigs.

Kelly and DeBoer were both head coaches long before they caught their big break. Kelly led Grand Valley State from 1991-2003. DeBoer was the Sioux Falls head coach from 2005-09.

Both coaches got experience building a winning program at the lower level before getting the chance to do it on the biggest stage. That’s not necessarily better. Things have worked out well for Smart, Lanning, Day, Swinney, and the other coaches of that nature. But there’s value in getting that initial head coaching experience.

Kelly’s rise was slower than DeBoer’s. After his time at GVSU, Kelly was the head coach at Central Michigan and Cincinnati before taking over a major program at Notre Dame. By the time Kelly got the Fighting Irish job, he had 19 years of head coaching experience under his belt.

DeBoer didn’t bid his time in the same way. Just a few years ago, he was the head coach at Fresno State. But DeBoer’s big game track record won him the job at Alabama.

Brian Kelly on what he views as the strengths of this Alabama team

Brian Kelly said Alabama has no apparent weaknesses. Here’s what else the LSU coach said about facing the Crimson Tide.

LSU is set to host Alabama on Saturday night in another tough conference challenge.

LSU’s the underdog for the third time this year. The Tigers split the first two games — upsetting Ole Miss at home but losing to Texas A&M on the road. If LSU wants to keep its playoff hopes alive, another upset win is needed on Saturday.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly spoke to the media on Monday and outlined what he saw as the difficulties that came with facing this Alabama team.

“Probably as balanced of a football team that we’re gonna play this year,” Kelly said.

By balance, Kelly meant the talent level LSU will see across the board.

“Sometimes when we look at teams, we look at potential weaknesses at a particular position. I don’t see any with this team,” Kelly said.

Kelly said stopping the quarterback will be paramount for LSU, calling Alabama QB Jalen Milroe “outstanding.”

“First down is an important down as well,” Kelly said, “They’re one of the best third down and short conversion teams in the country. We need to get them behind the chains.”

That was probably a focus for LSU throughout the bye week after the Tigers struggled to contain the legs of Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed.

As for Alabama’s defense, Kelly highlighted DB Malachi Moore and LB Deontae Lawson.

“I think Malachi Moore is one of the most productive safeties in the country. Lawson is a handful, probably one of the most experienced linebackers in the country,” Kelly said.

“It’s a team that has no apparent weaknesses in my eyes.”

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Should LSU be worried about 2025 recruit flipping to South Carolina?

Should LSU be concerned about three-star tight end Mike Tyler potentially flipping to South Carolina?

It’s flip season in college football. With signing day nearing, programs are making their last pushes with recruits.

LSU’s 2025 class is a good one, but the Tigers aren’t immune to the nature of recruiting. Brian Kelly and staff will have to work to keep the entire class together.

One prospect on flip watch is tight end Mike Tyler. The three-star from South Carolina is receiving heavy interest from the home-state Gamecocks and was in Colombia for South Carolina’s win over Texas A&M.

Tyler committed to LSU in August with the Tigers beating out South Carolina on the first go-round. But recent reports indicate South Carolina has the momentum.

LSU’s done well recruiting tight ends in the Brian Kelly era. The Tigers have several blue chips on the roster and are hoping to add more in the 2025 class. If LSU does lose Tyler, the class remains in a good spot with John David LaFleur on board.

Tyler remains committed to LSU for now, but this is one to watch down the stretch.

According to On3, LSU’s 2025 class ranks No. 3 nationally. The headliner is five-star QB Bryce Underwood — another recruitment where LSU is trying to fend off a late push from a home-state school.

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Will ESPN’s College Gameday head to LSU in week 11?

Will ESPN’s College Gameday be at LSU in week 11?

LSU is off week 10, but the Tigers’ have their biggest game of the year on the horizon in week 11. LSU will host the Alabama Crimson Tide in what’s a defacto college football playoff elimination game.

An LSU win keeps Brian Kelly’s team in the hunt for the SEC. A loss would likely relegate LSU to a simple bowl game.

The LSU-Alabama game is always one of the top games on the slate. It usually comes with SEC and national title implications, featuring future NFL players on both sidelines.

Next week is no different. LSU vs. Alabama is one of just two ranked matchups in week 11, making it a prime candidate for ESPN’s [autotag]College Gameday.[/autotag]

LSU’s main competition will be Georgia at Ole Miss, but ABC already handed LSU-Alabama the ABC primetime slot.

Gameday is yet to show up to Baton Rouge this year, but the LSU helmet has already been featured once when Gameday stopped in Colombia for LSU’s meeting with South Carolina.

Gameday is no stranger to LSU and Alabama meetings — it’s one of the most heavily featured matchups in the show’s history. An announcement should come late Saturday or early Sunday, but I’d expect LSU has a good shot of landing ESPN’s premier show.

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Former LSU RB Logan Diggs could be ready to make his Ole Miss debut

Former LSU running back Logan Diggs could make his Ole Miss debut later this year

A former LSU running back could be set to make his Ole Miss debut soon. [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag], who began his career with Notre Dame and spent one year with the Tigers, hit the transfer portal and transferred to Ole Miss after LSU’s bowl game.

Diggs tore his ACL in the bowl win, but [autotag]Lane Kiffin[/autotag] said Diggs has a chance to return following Ole Miss’ second bye week. That would be Nov. 23, after Ole Miss plays Arkansas and Georgia.

Diggs ran 119 times for 653 yards with the Tigers in 2023. He caught eight passes for 82 more yards. That put Diggs at a solid 5.8 yards per touch, something LSU could use now with its struggling run game.

Kiffin said it would be great for Ole Miss to get a “big, physical back” like Diggs in the backfield.

Week 13 may seem late for a return, but Ole Miss is still hoping to make a college football playoff run. Diggs could inject some life into a Rebel offense looking for consistency.

Ole Miss already has a strong rotation with Henry Parrish and Ulysses Bentley. Diggs would make it one of the deeper backfields in college football.

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Brian Kelly updates injury status for key offensive player

Brian Kelly offered an injury update on one of LSU’s top offensive linemen.

On top of the loss to Texas A&M, a key LSU offensive lineman left the game with an injury.

[autotag]Garrett Dellinger[/autotag], a veteran guard, suffered a high ankle sprain. This week, LSU head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] offered a status update on the Dellinger.

Kelly said LSU is hoping the bye week serves as a time for Dellinger to recover. Reading the tea leaves, that sounds like Dellinger wouldn’t be ready to go on Saturday but has a chance to be ready for the Alabama meeting.

The typical recovery time for a high ankle sprain can vary.

Dellinger, who was replaced by Paul Mubenga, was a significant loss for LSU. According to PFF, Dellinger had been LSU’s top-graded offensive lineman on the year.

Among SEC guards, Dellinger owns the seventh-best run-blocking grade. Kelly said the loss of Dellinger wasn’t to blame for LSU’s struggles on the ground, but did point out Dellinger’s veteran status.

[autotag]Paul Mubenga[/autotag], a redshirt freshman, was thrown into the fire for his first meaningful snaps of college football.

Mubenga is a talented player, but LSU would like to have Dellinger for Alabama. The offensive line depth already took a hit when [autotag]Tyree Adams[/autotag] had season-ending surgery.

Adams, LSU’s swing tackle, was the next man up before his injury.

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